Colt's Game : A Playing for Keeps Story

And Here Comes My Savior

Nikki

"No!" 

A feral roar echoes through the room as Colt barrels through the small space and tears his father off me. 

I sit up instantly and watch as Colt and his father roll on the ground fighting each other like they want to kill the other.

"Oh my god! No!" Mrs. Graves cries from the front door. 

She steps over the two paper bags of food Colt must have dropped on his way in and rushes over to her family, trying to pull each of them off the other.

"I'll fucking kill you! You piece of shit! I hate you! I'll kill you!" Colt swings his big hands into his father's face, and I see the blood spurting onto the wall behind him. 

He really is going to kill that man. I can't allow that.

I jump off the couch and grab for Colt, helping his mother drag him off his father.

"Colt! Colt! Please stop! Colt! Look at me." I stand in front of him, doing my best to stop him getting to his father. I push him far enough away that they can't reach each other but I still can't get Colt to look at me. 

His pupils are dilated, breathing ragged and his muscles are rock hard under my hands. His knuckles are covered in blood. 

I watch his gaze trying to get his attention but he's busy looking over me, like a predator looking for the easiest route to its prey, he's trying to find a way to get back to his father.

"Colt!" I push him back again using as much of my strength as I can. I need to get him to the door and out of the house. 

"I'll fucking kill you! I don't care what happens to me. You're dead," Colt screams at his father over my head.

I continue pushing him until we are outside and I slam the door shut behind me, so he no longer has eyes on his father. I grab his face and force him to look at me. 

"Colt, please. Colt, I'm here. Just talk to me. Please calm down." My words are meant to be soothing but they have the opposite effect.

"Calm down! Are you crazy!" he roars at me, and I yelp in fear at the viciousness of it. I know his anger isn't toward me. At least I hope it's not. 

Trying again, I move a little closer, "It's okay. It's okay. I'm fine."

"No!" He shakes his head wildly, "No. Don't you do it. This is not fine. None of this is fucking fine," he yells at me again. 

No matter what I say to him right now, it's not going to be enough.

I grab hold of his shirt and smash myself to his chest. I cry and just hold him. Even though I'm trying to be strong for him, I hate that this is his life. Hate that I had to experience it firsthand. I hate everything about this, including the fact that I knew Colt was about to be on the path of no  return.

After a few minutes, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me away from his chest. "Are you hurt? Let me see? I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. I couldn't call." He looks into my face, his thumb brushing over a tender spot on my cheek.

I try to smile it off and move his hand, but I feel the tension rolling off his body. This isn't going to go away, not tonight.

"Listen, go on home. I'll find a way to call you later." He takes a step back and looks away.

"Colt, don't . . ."

"Nikki, for Christ's sake, just listen to me. Go home. I'll be fine." He barks back.

I let out a breath and take a step away from him. What more can I do? I can't force him to leave his mother here. I can't call the police on him. How can I help him?

"Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow." I search his face for affirmation, but he won't even look at me. He just nods once. I turn, and he follows. We both walk to my car. He leans down to the window when I get settled.

"Nikki, do me a favor." 

"Yeah, babe?"

"Don't come back here. Ever."

I want to argue with him, but I see in his eyes that it'll do no good. 

He doesn't wait for me to answer just turns and walks away without a glance in my direction. 

It's for the best, that way, he can't see me break to pieces as I pull away from the curb.